More than 5,000 patients died or were seriously injured as a result of NHS safety blunders in the six months to March, official figures show.

A total of 1,313 people in England and 78 in Wales died as a result of medical errors involving the care they received from hospitals, mental health trusts and ambulance services. Both figures were up, by nine and 47 deaths respectively, compared with the previous six months.

Another 3,699 patients in England suffered what the National Patient Safety Agency, which collated the figures, called "severe harm" – permanent harm, including disability and scarring.

That compared with 3,049 such cases in the previous six months – a rise of 21%. Peter Walsh, chief executive of the patient safety charity Action against Medical Accidents, said the increases represented greater reporting by health staff of safety incidents rather than worsening standards.